Test-tube kakapo in the pipeline

Old Richard Henry's genes are in demand to put new blood into the kakapo pool. Aged more than 50, he is the only remaining Fiordland kakapo.

The first artificial insemination of one of New Zealand's rarest birds could begin as early as this year after the last great kakapo hunt ended in failure yesterday.

A team led by the Department of Conservation was packing up camp after combing the wilds of Fiordland for more than a month to determine once and for all whether any of the ancient, flightless parrots were still alive there.

Possible sightings and reports of the distinctive "booming" mating call of the male kakapo in Fiordland have been passed to DoC regularly in recent years, but a sweep of 250,000ha failed to find any trace.

"Big fat zero," said DoC kakapo team leader Paul Jansen. "Now at least we have put the issue to bed."

Fiordland genes would be a welcome addition to the kakapo gene pool as inbreeding is thought to be a major factor behind the birds' low fertility rate.

Low fertility has kept the birds perilously close to extinction for more than 30 years and the population still hovers below 100 at 86.

Now tests done in New Zealand this summer by international bird reproduction scientist Dr Juan Blanco have shown artificial insemination is viable.

Kakapo sperm was still 60 per cent fertile after freezing and remained fertile for up to six days in storage.

"This is a major breakthrough, it's looking very positive," Mr Jansen said. "What we have at the moment is a serious breeding depression."

Genes from the one remaining Fiordland bird, Richard Henry, have been a welcome addition to the gene pool on the wildlife sanctuary of Codfish Island near Stewart Island, the bird fathering three chicks in two years. Artificial insemination would allow his genes to be spread even wider.

Further kakapo hunts in Fiordland were unlikely unless stronger evidence was produced, Mr Jansen said.

Search parties spread out over selected areas at Milford, Dusky and Doubtful Sounds and Long Sound in southern Fiordland.

A prolific beech seed year in Fiordland brought hope of finding two birds known to be alive 20 years ago. Tawbert and Biscuit were left behind during recovery efforts in the 1980s because the old Lands and Survey Department overruled the then Wildlife Service, which wanted to remove them.

Beech seed is the kakapo staple diet, and seeding years mean it is more likely the mating call will be heard because the birds are thought to breed when food is plentiful. No chicks were produced on Codfish this season.